Disney's oldest ride forced to go green after 70 years
One of Disneyland's opening-day attractions is getting a much needed makeover. Autopia, the classic Tomorrowland attraction where guests steer tiny cars around a winding track, is getting rid of its gas-powered engines and switching to fully electric vehicles.The move means the end of the gasoline smell that has hovered over the ride for decades - and which some parkgoers say is so bad it gives them headaches.The attraction opened with Disneyland in Anaheim in 1955, when miniature cars and sleek highways were supposed to represent the future of American travel.But 70 years later, many fans argue the ride has become one of the least futuristic things in Tomorrowland. Disney first announced in 2024 that it planned to move Autopia away from gas power, with the original aim of making the change by fall 2026.The company has since confirmed the ride will go fully electric - not hybrid - and that the current gas engines will be retired by early 2027 under an agreement with the California Air Resources Board. Disneyland Developing an Electric Autopia Prototype Disneyland is now working on the ‘design, engineering and testing’ of a fully electric Autopia vehicle prototype, though the park has not yet announced when the ride will close or reopen. Autopia's last major refurbishment was in 2016 when Honda took over as the ride’s sponsor, with other previous sponsors including Chevron and Richfield Oil. Disneyland’s 10-year deal with Honda is set to expire in 2026.Disneyland fans shared their excitement on social media, most noting the 'gross' smell of gasoline that currently hovers over that area of Tomorrowland. Some even said they get a headache from being near the attraction. 'Good news: getting rid of that exhaust smell. It's revolting,' one Reddit user wrote. 'Bad news: Autopia seems to be sticking around for many more years.'Another Reddit user said they hope the changes are finished before their upcoming trip, adding that they tried Autopia once and it triggered their son's asthma 'so we've avoided that whole area since.' Uncertainty Over Similar Changes at Disney World 'Its just funny to me that Autopia, for being in Tomorrowland, is always updating to what is currently happening,' another Disney fan added. 'When it was built it was to hype up the future of highways that was already being built and around. Now its electric cars that are present and widely adopted.'However, the company has not said whether similar changes are coming to Walt Disney World's Tomorrowland Speedway in Orlando.That Magic Kingdom attraction also features gas-powered cars that guests steer on an enclosed track, with one Reddit user writing, 'please do Tomorrowland Speedway next.'Instead, other Magic Kingdom attractions have been steadily getting upgrades, including Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, which will have new hand-held laser guns as of May 2026. Over in Frontierland, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad got a 'smoother' track, as well as updated cave scenes and improvements to lighting effects. Major Cars-Themed Expansion Planned for Magic Kingdom One of the biggest expansions to Magic Kingdom is a new Cars-themed land, Piston Peak, coming to the Frontierland area. Walt Disney World in Orlando has also quietly released ticket prices through October 2027 - with one-day admission now climbing as high as $219 per person. The new top price applies to Magic Kingdom over next year's President's Day weekend, up from $209 for the same park's peak pricing this year and setting a new record for Disney World tickets. And that may not even be the ceiling. Disney has yet to release November and December 2027 prices - traditionally the most expensive period of the year thanks to Thanksgiving and Christmas crowds. The cheapest off-peak tickets are the same and start at $119. Back in California, one-day tickets to Disneyland can run fans up to $224 during peak travel season.
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Disney's oldest ride forced to go green after 70 years
